Interview Help

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Interview Help

The key to having a successful interview with a prospective employer is being prepared. When you master these basic concepts, most of your work is done…and you will be ahead of your competition!

Do your research

Show that you are interested in the job and the company by doing research on the company before your interview. Make notes and use them during the interview.

Dress professionally

Always dress professionally for an interview, regardless of the normal attire of the company or your interviewer. Candidates who are dressed professionally prove they are serious about the interview and the job.

Bring copies of your resume and references – many interviews consist of more than one interviewer. Five copies should be adequate.

Arrive early

Prepared candidates show up to the interview between 5 and 15 minutes before the scheduled time, no more, no less. Allow extra time for traffic jams and finding the right office.

Show confidence, not conceit

Candidates need to show professional confidence in their abilities, yet show personal humility. Ideal candidates can accomplish tasks quickly and accurately and still be a team player to make their team shine. Wise people know what they don’t know, and aren’t afraid to describe their limitations. Employers don’t expect you to know everything. They need an accurate picture of what you can do and what you can’t do.

Look the interviewer in the eyes

Nothing shows confidence more than looking people in the eyes when you are speaking and listening to them.

Keep the conversation to business, always!

Your interview should consist of many questions and answers, all which should relate to your professional life. Candidates can quickly ruin a perfectly good interview by talking about their personal life. Most of the subjects in your personal life are illegal topics of discussion in an interview anyway. Even the most innocuous topics can quickly turn bad, so as a rule, keep it to business.

Turn a negative into a positive

Remember to be positive during an interview. Even if you left a previous position with a former employer under the worst conditions, find a way to put the experience into a positive light. Most interviewers are savvy enough to tell when a situation was less than perfect and will respect you for trying to be positive.

Ask questions

Toward the end of your interview, your interviewer might ask if you have any questions. This is your golden opportunity to show your interest in the job and the company. It also shows that you are particular about your next job and you aren’t going to take just anything.

Ask questions like:
“Tell me about the people on the team.”
“What technologies are being used elsewhere in the company?”
“What specific technology challenges do you face? What is the team doing to solve those challenges?”
“What is my long-term growth track with this company?”
“Describe successful team members. What key attributes/skills makes them successful?”
“Do you consider me a viable candidate for this job?”

Close the interview with an action

Ask the interviewer what the next step will be and when you should expect to hear from him/her. You need to gather expectations from the interviewer so that you can plan your schedule accordingly. Your time is just as valuable as the interviewer’s time.

Call your recruiter with information about the interview

Your recruiters at RecruitWise® can facilitate the placement process if they have timely updates after each interaction with the hiring company. Conversely, your recruiter will also call you every time they have updated information or timelines.